1. Field of the Invention
Substantial progress has been made in the development of automated painting systems in recent years, particularly in the application of robots for assembly lines for automotive and other industrial purposes. Although driven by the need for reduced painting costs per item, these robotic-based painting systems also provide increased versatility in paint applications as well as increased safety of personnel by removing them from the paint booth.
2. Discussion of the Background
In the automotive field, car and truck bodies are carried by conveyor means to the situs of the paint system robot. This is practical for relatively small items such as automobile bodies, but is not practical for much larger bodies such as airplanes.